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c <> \ r I V is <> i I 1 1 I s v ( 1/ /; / H 

The Moral and Religious Aspects of 
Herbert Spencers Philosophy. 

BY 
SYLVAN DREY 



/. striving to be man, tin wo 
nuts through all tfa 

ow us thai nth rudimental forms, and i 

their dweUing-place ; and 
wer perish dd t<« 

>hed men. ' ime remains of th<- pn 

<■ ■ >! the quadruped ie 
i Tain andol the heai Ajid if one shall read the 

<• hinted in the iture t<> mount and melior- 

>nding imp Better in the human -hall 

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EVOLUTION: 

Popular Lectures and Discussions before the 
Brooklyn Ethical Association. 



••One of the most systematic, concise, and comprehensive presentations in 
popular form of the foundation and theory of evolution. Excellent, . . suc- 
eint, . . interesting."— Public Opinion. 



OUTLINE OF CONTENTS : 

Herbert Spencer : His life, writings, and philosophy. 

Daniel Greenleaf Thompson. 
Charles Robert Darwin : His life, works, and influence. 

Rev. John W. Chadwick. 
Solar and Planetary Evolution : How suns and worlds come into being. 

Garrett P. Serviss. 
Evolution of the Earth : The story of geology. Dr. Lewis G. Janes. 

Evolution of Vegetal Life : William Potts. 

Evolution of Animal Life : Rossiter W. Raymond, Ph.D. 

The Descent of Man : His origin, antiquity, growth. E. D. Cope, Ph.D. 

Evolution of Mind : Its nature, and development. Dr. Robert G. Eccles. 

Evolution of Society : Families, tribes, states, classes. James A. Skilton. 

Evolution of Theology : Development of religious beliefs. Z. Sidney Sampson. 

Evolution of Morals : Egoism, altruism, utilitarianism, etc. 

Dr. Lewis G. Janes. 
Proofs of Evolution : The eight main scientific arguments. Nelson C. Parshall. 
Evolution as Related to Religious Thought. Rev. John W. Chadwick. 

The Philosophy of Evolution : Its relation to prevailing systems. 

Starr H. Nichols. 
The Effects of Evolution on the Coming Civilization. Rev. Minot J. Savage. 



[From Herbert Spencer.] 
"The mode of presentation seems to me admirably adapted for 
popularizing Evolution views." 

[From John Fiske.] 
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THE MORAL AND RELIGIOUS 
ASPECTS OF 



HERBERT SPENCER'S PHILOSOPHY 



BY 
SYLVAN DREY 



REVISED NEW EhlTIOX 



BOSTON : 
JAMES n. WEST, Publishes 

196 Slmmii: M Kill 

1889 



Ittl 






The London edition of this essay (1887) bore the title, ''Herbert 
Spencer's Theory of Religion -and Morality." The essay in its 
present form has received an addition. 






The Moral and Religious Aspects of 
Herbert Spencers Philosophy. 



It shall be our endeavor, in the following pages, to set 
forth briefly Herbert Spencer's views on religion and moral- 
ity. No attempt will be made to deal with any of the 
unfavorable criticisms of which Spencer's religious and 
moral theories have been made the subject. We seek not 

much to defend, as to explain; and, accordingly, we 
shall aim at expounding: 1st. Spencer's Theory of Re- 
ligion; 2nd. Spencer's Theory of .Morality; 3rd. The 

ation of Religion to Morality from the Spencerian point 

of view. 



According to the Spencerian philosophy whatever acts on 
s itself either under the head of the 
wable or the unknowable. This division grows out of 
thr recognized impotence of the human mind to grasp that 
which "lies without the sphere of sense." Tin 1 terms 
knowable and unknowable sufficiently explain themselves. 
•• Phenomena and their relations" occupy tin 1 entire region 
of the knowable, or, to speak less abstractly, tin 1 knowable 
includes whatever can be brought within the range of ex- 
perience. Contrariwise, under the head of the knowable 

icluded the "genesis and substance of things/' or, to 

the idea in a more comprehensive formula, the un- 
knowable stands for the impenetrable mystery in which the 
jin and nature of the universe is shrouded. The most 
• he most profound thought of which the 
human intellect is capable, cannot pierce this veil of mys- 
Science i telusively with the knowable, while 

_ion is concerned solely with the unknowable. Thus 
and can be no conflict between religion 
and science; for it matters uol how much our knowledge 
knowable increases, svhal is unknowable still re- 
mains unknowable. Endeed, every increment of knowledge 



1 The Moral and Religions Aspects of 

cerning phenomena renders more and more certain the 
unknowableness of the unknowable. Not inappropriately, 
then, may we compare the relation which science bears to 
religion to the relation existing between language and 
music Regarding language as the medium through which 
we convey to one another such of our thoughts and emo- 
tions as are susceptible of definite expression, and regard- 
ing music as the channel through which the vague and 
subtle feelings of the soul seek their outlet, we may say 
that science is the language in which our knowledge of 
phenomenal manifestations expresses itself, while the music 
of religion gives voice to those indefinable emotions which 
the unknowable, mysterious origin of the universe excites 
within us. 

Having thus determined the position which religion 
occupies towards science, we come now to consider the nat- 
ure of religion. And first, how shall we define religion from 
a Spencerian point of view ? It may be defined as the 
consciousness that an inconceivable power, an inexplicable 
energy is everywhere revealing itself in and through the 
workings of the universe. The emotions of awe and rev- 
erence awakened by this consciousness deepen the convic- 
tion that the limited powers of the human mind can form 
no conception of the nature of such a power. Nothing, 
however, is more certain than its reality. This conclusion 
is forced on us by all that we do know. Beyond the assur- 
ance of its positive existence we know nothing at all about 
it, in any proper sense of knowing. But man is so consti- 
tuted that he must conceive of it as standing in some 
relation of some kind to things that are known to us ; we 
therefore feel the need of a formula to picture the relation- 
ship as it exists in our finite minds. Hence Spencer speaks 
of it as an " Infinite and Eternal Energy from which all 
, things proceed." This phrase has a very theological ring, 
but those acquainted with Spencer's works cannot mistake 
its real significance. Standing alone, the meaning might 
be ambiguous ; but, read in the light of the Spencerian 
philosophy, it is susceptible of only one interpretation. 
The appropriateness of the word " Energy," as here used, 
cannot be questioned. It denotes the essence of the active 
principle in the universe. It represents the power behind 
all powers, yet it is not assimilated to a blind, brute force. 
This Energy is characterized as " Infinite," because we can 



Herbert Spencer's Philosophy, 5 

sign to it no bounds in space; as •• Eternal," because we 
can set no limits to it in time. The word " proceed" must 
be taken in its literal sense. It is by no means synony- 
mous with "Create," as that word is usually understood. It 
signifies precisely what it says, and nothing more; to wit. 

to emanate from. By tin 1 use of the term. Spencer wishes 
merely -to indicate the relation between knowable inani- 
n present to perception and the Unknown Reality 
which transcends perception," without pretending to ex- 
plain in what way the knowable is connected with the un- 
knowable. From this explanation the reader will readily 
perceivi that Mr. Spencer makes no pretence to having 
ed the difficult problem of tin 4 origin of things. The 
mystery of teleology is still a teleological mystery; and 
the phrase referred to is but a very concise mode of ex- 
jsing how great a mystery it is.* 

To this "Infinite and Eternal Energy" we can ascribe 
no attributes. We know nothing about its form or charac- 
••duty requires us neither to assert nor deny that it has 
personality, but to submit ourselves with all humility to 
the established limits of our intelligence in the conviction 
that the choice is not between personality and something 
lower, but personality and something higher, and that the 
ultimate power is no more representative in terms of human 
consciousness than human consciousness is representative 
in terms of a plant's functions." 

It follows as a necessary inference from this view of a 
first cause that all ceremonies and forms of worship based 
on the current anthropomorphic conceptions of God, at 
variance with the Spencerian idea of a higher power, can 
find no corresponding place in the religion of the unknow- 
able, [nstead of these there will arise "observances tend- 
i alive a consciousness of the true relation in 
which we stand to the unknown cans*', and tending t<> give 

ion to the sentiment accompanying that conscious- 

ally* inevitable is the conclusion that the iinie- 
tiona of an ■ minister ( if 1 may be permitted, for 

the enience, to use the adjective agtn 



rj likely there will ever remain ;■ need to 
: .it indefinite sense <>i an ( itiniate existence which f<>nn> the 
• i our intelligence. We shall always be under the necessity ol contem- 
plate memotieol «»t representing 11 to ourselvi 

r ' -nil <>t thought, ii" in doing tin- -<» 

symbol, uiterlj with- 



(> The Moral and Religious Aspects of 

as descriptive of Spencer's religious views) must differ 
materially from the duties performed by the ministry as 
at present constituted among Christian sects. The agnostic 
minister will be chiefly a moral educator; but, while dis- 
ing ethical questions, which must of themselves exert 
a highly elevating influence upon his hearers, he will, at 
the same time, have ample opportunity of ministering to 
their spiritual needs by appropriate references to the mys- 
teries of cosmology, either for the purpose of quickening 
the religious emotions and reinforcing the religious con- 
sciousness, or with a view to emphasizing some moral les- 
son which he may wish to bring home to the hearts of his 
hearers. Thus will man's conduct be influenced in the 
right direction. On the one hand, the necessity of leading 
a moral life will be impressed upon him; on the other 
hand, he will be led to reflect upon that inscrutable power 
whose marvelous energy reveals itself in a universe of 
wonders — a power which, though indefinable, nay, incon- 
ceivable, is yet as real in its existence as it is unknowable 
in its attributes. * 

gainst Spencer's view of religion, it has been urged that "the unknow- 
able " is practically non-existent, that it is an " all-nothingness" and cannot 
be made the basis of a religion. It has been further contended that to speak 
of " the Unknowable" as a reality, is a logical absurdity. Perhaps the word 
••unknowable" does not adequately express the idea of a real something 
whose nature cannot be comprehended by the finite mind. For undoubtedly, 
if the laws of thought force us to conclude that this something is real, then 
it is certainly pro tanto knowable; only that is strictly unknowable about 
which we can predicate nothing. But let the reader carefully note that what- 
ever valid objection there may be to the use of the word " unknowable " to 
express the idea above indicated, Spencer has always been cautious to empha- 
size the fact that he employs the term in this sense. To borrow his own 
words, " he everywhere speaks of the unknowable as the Ultimate Reality — 
!e existence ; all things present to consciousness being but shows of it." 
We have already seen that, so long as the human intellect continues to be 
the human intellect, only the phenomenal manifestations of the universe can 
be brought within the region of positive knowledge; yet, in spite of our 
ignorance of the origin and substratum of things, try as we will we cannot 
get rid of the notion that there must be an actuality underlying all phenom- 
ena ; or, as Spencer has it, " it is impossible to conceive that our knowledge is 
a knowledge of appearances only, without at the same time conceiving a 
Reality of which they are appearances; for appearances without reality are 
unthinkable." This conclusion, be it observed, is drawn not from any assump- 
tion of knowledge concerning that which is unknowable, but it is a necessary, 
// posteriori inference from all that we do know. Here we must close this 
discussion with the remark that one thing is certain beyond all doubt: assum- 
ing that the human mind can grasp things only in their phenomenal, and not 
in ThHr Doumenal aspect, then, either we know that there is an inconceivable 
reality transcending phenomena, or we know nothing at all. If, with a view 
to disproving the ti r.-t part of this statement, the assumption of absolute and 
universal ignorance is sought to he defended, the argument, besides defeating 
the very purpose for which it is made, is suicidal. For he who is endowed 
with BUCD superlative stupidity is, on the one hand, estopped from denying 
that there may be an inconceivable reality transcending phenomena; and on 
the other baud, he cannot prove his own supreme ignorance so long as he is 
to,, ignorant t<> know even what Ignorance means. Moreover, even if the doc- 
trine of universal and absolute ignorance could be proved, its strongest proof 
would also be its strongest refutation. 



Herbert Spencer's Philosophy. < 

spencer's theory of morality. 

It ifl obviously impossible to do full justice to The Data 

of Ethics in the short space which we have allotted to its 
consideration. We make no pretensions even at summariz- 
ing the work; we wish merely to present a rough outline 

Ol Spencer's system of ethics to the extent that it has been 

developed in the book referred to.* 

At the very Outset attention ought to be called to the 

peculiar state oi mind with which The Data of Ethics has 

been approached. Some critics seem to be laboring under 
the hallucination that Spencer claims to be a sort of magic 
moralist — that lie has come forward with the avowed pur- 
pose of chasing the evils of this world back again into 
Pandora's box. Unfortunately, however, he has not been 
able to coerce himself into believing that immortality can 
be dispelled by feats of legerdemain. He regards himself 
as a philosophical moralist, and as such he must be judged. 
The conduct of which ethics treats, according to Spen- 
ds but a part of human conduct in general, and general 
human conduct is itself a part of universal conduct; hence 
a clear understanding of ethical conduct can be gained only 
by tirst studying the evolution of conduct as a whole. Thus 
considered, conduct may be defined to be either "acts 
adjusted to ends, or else the adjustment of acts to ends 
contemplate the formed body of acts or 
think of form alone." It is co-extensive with purposivi 
contradistinguished from purposeless actions. On survey- 
ing the vast extent of animal activity, we perceive that the 
adjustment of means to ends, as the same is 
exhibited in the movements of living creatures, result ill 
prolonging and intensifying life, to a greater or less ex- 
these adjustments approach perfection. 

The adjustments vary from very simple, very imperfect 
adaptations of inferior animals to complex, relatively com- 
plete adaptations of Superior animals; the movements of 
each animal species higher up in the scale of evolution 
we ascend in the order of progression, being more and 
more clearly differentiated from the aimless doings of the 
rior animals whose purposeless ramblings form 
the germ from which the activities of the higher animals 
hav< Hence we may legitimately conclude 

; only one of lii- projected works on ethics, viz.. 



8 The Moral and Belly tons Aspects of 

that advance in the evolution of conduct consists in a more 
perfect adjustment of means to life-furthering ends. Fur- 
thermore, by implication from the conclusion just reached, 
conduct cannot attain its final evolutionary stage until the 
adjustment of acts to lite-subserving needs is absolutely 
complete, whether the conformity to the requirements of 
life be regarded solely from the standpoint of the individ- 
ual, or solely from the standpoint of his offspring, or solely 
from the standpoint of society, or from that of all com- 
bined. So much for conduct in general. Ethics "has for 
its subject-matter that form which universal conduct as- 
sumes (luring the last stages of its evolution ; these last 
stages in the evolution of conduct being those displayed by 
the highest type of being when he is forced, by increase of 
numbers, to live more and more in the presence of his fel- 
lows." Such, of course, are the conditions under which 
civilized men live, and investigation discloses the fact that, 
under these circumstances, conduct is regarded as good or 
bad according as it satisfies or fails' to satisfy the demands, 
of individual or social life. Now observe the necessary 
conclusions which result from a comparison of our analyses. 
When speaking of conduct at large we saw that the more 
highly evolved conduct differs from conduct less highly 
evolved in respect of the superior character and more com- 
plex nature of its adjustment of means to life-furthering 
ends, and now we see that conduct which approaches moral 
perfection differs from bad conduct in precisely the same 
way ; whence Ave must infer that acts relatively moral 
always represent a more advanced stage in the evolution of 
conduct than immoral acts. Furthermore, just as was be- 
fore concluded that conduct, regarded as a whole, cannot 
reach its evolutionary limit until the adjustment of acts to 
life-furthering ends is perfect, whether such adjustment be 
considered from the standpoint of each individual alone, 
of his offspring alone, of society alone, or of all combined, 
so now we must conclude (since morality is but a highly 
ved part of conduct in general) that the evolution of 
ethical conduct is moving towards the same goal, and what 
was before recognized as perfectly evolved conduct, now 
turns out to be synonymous with perfect goodness. 

This bird's-eye view of Spencer's remarkable analyses of 
moral conceptions introduces us at once to the true distinc- 
tion between good and bad conduct. Conduct is good when 



Herbert \ r's Philosophy. 9 

it conforms bo the requirements of life ; to the extent that 
it fails of accomplishing this end it. is bad. But here it 
must be carefully borne in mind that, by reason of the 
entanglement of human actions, every act must be consid- 
ered with reference to its effect upon the ador himself, 
upon his offspring, and upon society at large. Acts which 
I so far as the individual is concerned, may be bad 
when regarded from the standpoint of his offspring, or of 
society at large. Hence, in a social state, an act is moral 
only when it tends simultaneously to satisfy the needs of 
the actor himself, of his offspring, and of society at large. 
In their summed-up effects, good acts are productive of 
re pleasure than pain; and e convert, bad acts produce 
more pain than pleasure. Perfect goodness cannot give 

to any pain at all ; where pain figures as a direct result 
of an act. that act is pro tanto wrong. No course of action 
is absolutely right which causes even a modicum of pain. 
w (that is, conduct which is absolutely right), 
and the greatest happiness are terms expressive of the same 
idea from different points of view. Perfect goodness means 
conduct that completely satisfies the separate and com- 
bined requirements of individual and social well-being : the 
greatest happiness describes the effect produced by this 
ideal fitness of things. To secure the greatest possible 
quantum of happiness is the great desideratum of life; 
but, since perfect goodness is the sine qua non of the 
greatest happiness, a perfectly moral life is the only means 
bj which this desirable end can be attained. And th; 
true, despite the variable character of different Standards 
of happiness, because the general conditions to the achiey- 
ment of happiness are always the same, no matter how 
much the Bpecia] conditions may vary. Hence, while the 

icst happiness is the ultimate end of life, it must not 
be made the direct object of pursuit. Our immediate aim 
must be to live at peace with our fellow-beings; to deal 

bly with them all in our transactions; and iinall; 

istance in their efforts to gratify the 
fill desires of li 
The conclusion that happiness musl nol be made the 
direct aim of life, thus scientifically reached, is unequivo- 
cally confirmed by our mon [nstinctively we are 

py rules duct which science 

• he trai onditions to the achiev- 



lo The Moral and Religious Aspects of 

ment of the greatest happiness. That civilized men are 
endowed with moral intuitions cannot be doubted, but 

ertheless our moral intuitions are purely of human 
origin. They represent the cumulative experience of man- 
kind concerning the line of conduct which must be fal- 

ed in order to compass the greatest happiness of man. 
Being born of parents who are themselves the product of 
an advanced social life, there is bequeathed to civilized 
men, in the shape of a moral sense, the convictions of the 
human race that to insure happiness some courses of actions 
must be pursued, and others must be avoided. A practical 
illustration will tend to make my exposition of this im- 
portant truth somewhat clearer. Referring to immoral 
j, we frequently hear it said: "I could not do such a 

I ; I feel it would be wrong, though I do not know 
why." In this moral emotion is reflected a faithful state- 
ment of facts as they actually exist ; for men may fall 
heir to the ethical conclusion of the human race without 
having necessarily lived through its experience. 

The power of moral control which postpones immediate 
gratifications to more remote pleasures has been evolved 
from "political, religious, and social restraints." The moral 
deterrent from wrong-doing differs, however, from the re- 
straints which gave it birth in this respect, that " it refers 
not to extrinsic, but to intrinsic effects." The real moral 
dread of doing wrong springs not from a fear of artificial 
punishment. It grows out of a desire to avoid the injuri- 
ous results inevitably consequent upon immoral acts, and 
as the evolution of ethical conduct advances, these evil 
consequences will assert an ever-increasing authority over 
us as deterrent from wrong-doing. 

We have now set forth some of the leading ideas of 

ethical system, but the most defective outline of 

The Data of Ethics ought not to omit all reference to their 

■i Leal importance. By implication, the imperfect condi- 
tion of the social state, as at present constituted, has already 
been pointed out. As long as this continues, the existence 
of a morally perfect man is impossible. Only imperfect 
men can exist under our present defective social conditions. 
Furthermore, many acts which we of to-day look upon as 
right, are not absolutely right, but only relatively right — 
that is, they are as close an approximation to moral perfec- 
tion as is possible under existing circumstances. Acts that 



5 



Herbert Spencer's Philosophy. 11 

are relatively right may. however, be accepted as moral 
with the understanding that as fasl as the changing social 
conditions permit, a nearer approach to the standard of 
ideal goodness is ethically imperative. Moreover, it is not 

always possible to determine which of two courses of action 
is the least wrong under circumstances which preclude us 
from doing what is absolutely right. In such cases we can 
do no more than act in as strict an accordance with the 

-hue right as is possible. This want of congruity 
between human conduct and the social environment lias 
been brought about, to a great extent, by the Avarlike pro- 
pensities which civilization of to-day has inherited from 

ceding ages. In a state of society where men are con- 
stantly on the defensive, each one will instinctively guard 
his own interests and disregard the claims of others. Such 
a mode of life long persisted in has bequeathed to us a 
spirit of selfishness and opposition to the desires of others, 
which the needs of our own social state, still militant in 

e aspects, yet mostly industrial, require us sometimes 

ister, but more often to suppress. Until all such dis- 
turbing (dements are eliminated from our present civiliza- 
tion, nothing like a close approximation to an ideal society 
is possible. But, unless the "whole evolutionary theory is 
a farce, antagonism among men must eventually disappear, 
and. in obedience to the law of increasing adaptability of 
means to ends, social harmony, to a very high degree, must 

n in its place. And if this be so, an ideal society is 

il>le of attainment, although it cannot be regarded as a 

\ompli until ethical conduct simultaneously reaches 

its physical, biological, psychological and sociological evolu- 

ary limits, which is tantamount to saying, not only that 
the ideal man will conform to all the requirements of his 
surroundings, but likewise, that he will derive the greal 
possible happiness from so doing. 

And ]i< re in a position to appreciate an important 

division in ethics, an explanation of which must close this 

branch of our subject, we have reference to Absolute and 

lie-. Absolute Ethi forth the conditions 

11 ideal Bociety ; Etelal Lve Ethics aims at improving the 

dition of an imperfect Bociety. Absolute Ethics formu- 

of moral laws which shape the conduct of the 

ideal man: I e Ethics enjoins the imperfect man to 

as in his power lies. The standard 



ll* The Moral and Religious Aspects of 

of morals which Absolute Ethics sets up for the guidance 
londuct is in variable, and will be recognized as authori- 
ty long as happiness continues to be the desideratum 
ndard of moral compromise which Eelative 
up must necessarily vary with the evolution of 
Lai life; for the changing conditions of the evolving 
1 state must enable us, more and more nearly, to live 
up to the precepts of Absolute Ethics. 

THE RELATION OF RELIGION TO MORALITY FROM THE 
SPENCER LAN POINT OF VIEW. 

The few observations which we shall make here are 
id inferentially upon the religious and moral principles 
already enunciated; hence Spencer is necessarily committed 
ur inferences only in so far as they are logically accur- 
ate. We claim a clear title to all the non sequiturs which 
the critical reader may discover. 

From Spencer's point of view it is obvious that religion 
and morality are quite distinct in their nature and purpose. 
Eeligion aims at keeping alive sentiments of awe and rev- 
erence for that incomprehensible power which everywhere 
manifests itself through the working of the universe. It 
seeks to define man's relation to this power and serves to 
remind him that in spite of its reality, its nature and 
attributes are and must ever be beyond human comprehen- 
sion. Morality, on the other hand, has solely to do with 
the conduct of men. It has for its object to determine 
what courses of action are most conducive to personal and 
social well-being. From the nature of things, some modes 
of conduct must be best adapted to promote individual and 
collective happiness; and, since the maxims of absolute 
•s meet this need, we value them accordingly. Hence 
■Iness derives its inestimable value from its intrinsic 
li. Not for the purpose of gaining the good- will of the 
unknown cause of things, not for the purpose of being 
irded in a possible life to come, in obedience to the 
dictates of our better self enjoined on us, but because the 
are of all is dependent upon the moral behavior of 
each. Beyond the knowledge that the order of things has 
made universal happiness contingent upon universal allegi- 
ance to the law which we call moral, we know nothing 
indicative of any relation between morality and the inscru- 
orce of things. Whether wickedness can in any 



Herbert n r*s Philosophy. 13 

way affect the higher power, or whether we are to be pun- 
ished after death for sins committed in life, are questions 
about which we are superlatively ignorant, but we are abso- 
lutely sure that wrong-doing causes sorrow mid pain iutliis 
world, and that the wrong-doer himself often suffers untold 
pangs on account of his transgressions. II", however, we 
cannot count upon being rewarded alter deathfor having 

led a virtuous life on earth, why strive to live up to the 

standard of absolute ethics ? Three reasons present them- 
1^t. Because moral perfection is the only road 
that leads to the highest state of individual and social hap- 
piness; 2nd. Because wrong-doers live under the constant 
fear of having to pay such penalties as society imposes 
upon them tor its own protection; 3rd. Uecause those who 
disregard the dictates of conscience are made to suffer the 
pangs of remorse. 

It is commonly supposed that this view of religion and 
morality shuts out all hopes of posthumous possibilities, 
and makes goodness a matter solely of the intellect. Both 
of these suppositions are erroneous. Because we confess 
ourselves totally ignorant of that which lies without the 
on of the knowable, must we therefore deny the possi- 
bility of a life beyond the grave ? Not at all. The same 
^derations which make it impossible to prove the im- 
mortality of the soul, render futile all attempts to disprove 
it. Reason cannot fathom that which lies beyond "the 
sphere of sense"; it cannot soar beyond the limitation of 
own powers. If any one longs ardently for immor- 
tality, there can be no objection to his cherishing the hope 
of a life beyond the grave provided always that the true 
such a hope be kept constantly in muni. 
The Bpencerian philosophy merely prohibits us from assert- 
ing that which can neither be proved nor dis- 
«'d; but it gives the emotions i'nr play so long as they 
passupon the domains of the intellect. Since 
doctrine of immortality can neither be satisfactorily 
retuted nor successfully demonstrated, whether men will 
hope for a future life beyond the grave must depend grej 
upon their emotional temperaments. Those who entertain 
. and those who reject them, are alike logical, so 
i not allow their feelings on the subject in 
.oud their intellect. 
uallv unfounded is the assumption that the scientific 



II Herbert Spencer's Philosophy 

moralist makes the intellect the sole sanction for obeying 
ethical injunctions. Recause science teaches us the real 
significance of goodness, because it points out why virtue 
is preferable to vice, because it confirms the dictates of 
a clear conscience from another point of view, is the author- 
it v of our moral sense thereby weakened ? Assuredly not. 
[ndeed, it is no exaggeration to say that the spontaneous 
activity of our ethical impulses reveals its true moral 
grandeur only to those who can perceive how completely 
the principles of scientific morality harmonize with the 
instincts of our moral sense. 

And now, in conclusion, let me ask, Why will men per- 
sist in calling this system of philosophy irreligious ? Why 
do they persist in saying that it robs life of all beauty — 
of all sanctity ? Does it not point, in wonder and admira- 
tion, to the mysteriously wrought grandeur of creation ? 
Does it not proclaim, in terms most emphatic, that all 
Nature's forces do but shadow forth some divine reality 
that pervades and penetrates this universal grandeur ? 
Does it not, in a deep sense, leave intact the hopes and 
fears of posthumous possibilities, and hold sacred, too, the 
voice of conscience ? Undoubtedly. Why, then, these 
persistent utterances to the contrary ? There can be but 
one explanation. Those who make them have not yet 
attained to that higher light which, in its glorious splendor, 
shall one day illumine the whole world. But pray let us 
not censure them. Let us treat them with becoming char- 
ity. Let us have patience ; for, as surely as the sun rises 
and sets, the great reformation will come. The days that 
shall be are not as yet. 



EVOLUTION 



Popular Lectures and Discussions 
before the 

Brooklyn Ethical Association. 



BOSTON : 
JAMES n. WEST, Publishes 



29 1 Proofs of Evolution. 

away, bul "worked over" the old fabric, just as thrifty 
housewives do, and do so wondrously well. Therefore, if 
wings arc needed, the fore-limbs must go — they must be 
transformed into wings. Ages pass on; the earth is filled 
with birds, beasts, and creeping things, but the quadruped 
is king. He has grown to enormous size and strength, and 
appears in almost endless varieties. The struggle for ex- 
istence has preserved the strongest, the most cunning, and 
those most highly skilled in the art of food-getting. ^ The 
fierce warfare through which all living creatures have 
sed, would naturally sharpen all the senses, and stimu- 
late, little by little, the power to observe and discriminate 
i friend and foe, and as to foods, and favoring localities. 
This would induce some sort of reflection, and implant in 
the mind at least a nebulous train of reason and ordered 
thought. This would give the brain more and better work 
to do, and the doing would increase its size, quality, and 
convolutions. 

Why should advance stop at this point ? Why should 
not the same progressive change and upward tendency still 
go on ? Is the change from the mute little fish to a roar- 
ing Saurian less marvelous than the advance from highest 
mammal then, existing to the earliest savage man, without 
speech, or language, and feeding on whatever prey the 
forest offered, including his own kind? Doubtless man 
lived thousands of years before he acquired what we would 
now call language. Nevertheless, his earliest cries and 
noises were the beginnings of connected speech ; though no 
more intelligible than the chattering of apes. 

1 1 we could go back to this lowest conceivable savage, 
what should we find ? Probably this : The anthropoid ape 
and the man-animal not quite out of sight of each other, 
hut evolving on divergent roads from a common ancestor. 
It we could have stood near the diverging point, it would 
have been difficult to tell which had the potency of the 
dominant animal who rules the world to-day. 

Most people who try to reason about the matter, make 
the mistake of attempting to bridge the chasm at once 
.1 Shakspeare to a shrimp; and they say the difference 
30 enormous that Evolution cannot be true. But the 
thoughtful student goes hack step by step, age by age, until 
he stands side by side with a creature half upright and 
howling, with all the ferocious instincts of a brute, but yet 



PREFACE. 

Evolution : The word is in every mouth. A vague, often an 
incorrect conception of its meaning in the field of biology and 
with reference to the origin of Man, has reached the popular mind, 
and stirred it to further investigation and inquiry. Even inits 
biological aspects, the doctrine of Evolution is seen to touch the 
great problems of religion and philosophy — of origin and destiny. 
But it is beginning to be understood that not alone as an explana- 
tion oi the method whereby living forms have been produced and 
eloped is this doctrine alive with human interest and pregnant 
with important influences upon human thought and human wel- 
. Evolution, reaching backward, takes hold upon the great 
dc problems of the birth and growth of worlds, the nature of 
Matter and spirit, the relation of the phenomenal Universe to its 
efficient Cause. Reaching forward, it touches and illuminates the 
pressing problems of ethics and sociology, ottering to the careful 
student wise instruction for his guidance in all the practical 
affairs of life. 

Evolution, it is said, is not a philosophy, it is not a religion — 
••it is only a method. 91 But it is a universal method ; the discov- 
ery and formulation of its law as applied to all the processes of in- 
iiiic. organic, social and intellectual development, constitutes 
the widest generalization of science, it cannot be otherv 
then fure, than that its acceptance should necessitate a reconsid- 
eration of the fundamental problems of philosophy and religion, 
ecoustruction of our notions in regard to the perma- 
nent nd the origin of human life. As tersely defined 
by P 1.'' Conte, "Evolution is continuous, progressive 
change, according to certain laws, and by means of resident forc< 
In the place of miracle it posits law ; instead of creation < x i< ;/<;!<>. 
it ;h orderly development resulting from the action of eter- 
ually-existenl ; \<>r the <>id conception of a mechanical uni- 
>n by a non-resident Creator, it substitutes thai 
vital nni " of which are symbols of 
once immanent and transcendent, — revealed in 
all ; in eonsci< hut by the very 

(iii) 



iv Prefou ■ 

nature of that consciousness forever unknown in its ultimate 
nee. 
[Jniversal in Its Bcope, penetrating every region of thought and 

u Appeared to the managers of the Brooklyn Ethical Associa- 
tion Lectures that no work could be of more general and vital in- 

i than that of popularizing correct views of the Evolution 
philosophy. An advance copy of our programme sent to Mr. Her- 

Spencer, elicited from him a letter of cordial commendation,* 
in which he affirmed that " The mode of presentation described 
seems to me admirably adapted for popularizing evolution views," 
and expressed a hope that the lectures might be widely circulated 
in printed form. Efforts in this direction were subsequently un- 
dertaken. The preparation of these lectures has been a labor of 
love, and for the most part gratuitous on the part of their authors. 
AlS separately published, they have already been profitably used 
by numerous societies and individuals engaged in this study, and 
it is hoped that they may have a yet wider circulation in the form 
in which they are now offered to the public. The chief hope and 
desire of the Ethical Association, and of the authors of these lec- 
tures, will not be met, however, unless they stimulate thought be- 
yond their mere perusal, and prepare many minds for the sys- 
tematic reading of the more complete expositions of the Evolution. 
philosophy in the works of Spencer, Fiske, Darw T in, Haeckel, Wal- 
lace. Huxley, Tyndall, Cope, and other recognized authorities. 
Not merely to satisfy, but to create hunger for truth is the object 
of these lectures. The subject is too vast to be treated completely 
in a single volume. We are aware of imperfections — yet we trust 
that the lectures will serve the purpose for which they are intended, 
and thus justify the labor and devotion of those who have par- 
ticipated in their production and publication. 

* Printed in full on page 19. 



CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

'Preface iii 



Herbert Spenceb 3 

His life and personal characteristics; his views on ed- 
ucation ; liis religious opinions ; his earlier writings ; 
the relation of his work to Darwinism and the evolu- 
tion philosophy a 

By Daniel Greenleaf Thompson. 

Charles Robert Darwin, 25 

His ancestry, life, and personal characteristics ; the 
voyage of the Beagle ; discovery of natural selection ; 
the two factors of the Darwinian theory ; Darwin and 
Wallace ; Louis Agassiz and evolution ; influence of 
Darwin's studies on his religious opinions. Evolution 
before Darwin ; views of Goethe and Lamarck. 

By Rev. John W. Chad wick. 

Solar and Planetary Evolution, 55 

How suns and worlds come into being ; the nebular 
hypothesis of Laplace and Faye ; Creation or Evolu- 
tion? Did the material universe ever have a begin- 
ning ? 

By Garrett P. Sebviss. 

.Evolution of the Earth, 79 

Tin logy ; how the world grew ; the order 

of stratification ; the action of lire and water : prep- 
ition of the earth for vegetable and animal life. 

By Dr. Lewis (;. Jam;-. 

m\ of Vegetal Life Ill 

How does life begin? The problem of spontaneous 
aeration; morphology— the forms of Leaves and 
flowers; t] raphical distribution of plant 

methods of fertilization ; distinctions and lik< 
d plants and animals. 

By William Pom 9. 

w 



\i | mtents. 

Evolution of Animal Lifh 139 

Tln> evidences from geology, geographical distribution 
and comparative zoology ; the problem of special 

creation : the laws of evolution ; Darwinism as mod- 
ified by Romanes ; the mutability of species ; the 
order of zoological evolution. 

By R088ITEB W. lvAVMOND ; Pll I). 

The Descent of Man, 161 

Relation of man to the brute creation ; his ancestral 
line : duration of human life on the planet ; growth 
of mind, reason, and the moral sense ; consciousness 

as a factor in human evolution. 

By Edward D. Cope,PIi.D. 
Evolution of Mind, 179 

The mind and the nervous system ; the nature of mind ; 
correspondence of life and mind ; the growth of con- 
sciousness ; nature and evolution of intelligence ; 
instinct, memory, reason, feelings, will. 

By Dr. Robert G. Eccles. 

Evolution of Society, 203 

Primitive man ; growth of the family, tribe, city and 
State ; development of the domestic relations ; mar- 
riage ; ceremonial and political institutions ; is soci- 
ety an organism ? 

By James A. Skilton. 

Evolution of Theology, 233 

Origin of religious beliefs ; ideas of primitive man ; 
animism, and ancestor-worship; growth of nature- 
worship and idolatry ; polytheism, monotheism and 
pantheism ; the doctrine of the Absolute. 

By Z. Sidney Sampson. 

;.t tiox of Morals, 257 

J low altruism grows out of egoism ; the proper balance ; 
characteristics and relative value of ethical systems ; 
utilitarianism, rational and empirical; influence of 
the evolutionary theory of morals on ethical sanctions. 

By Db. Lewis G. .)x*\:>. 

Proofs of Evolution, 287 

,-), from geology ; b, from morphology ; c, from embry- 
ology . d, from metamorphosis ; e, from rudimentary 



Contents. vii 

organs; f. from geographical distribution; gr f from 

discovered links; h, from artificial breeding J 1, from 
reversion ; k, from mimicry. 

By Nelson c. Pabshall* 

Evolution as Kelated to Religious Thought, . 319 

The doctrine of the unknowable ; special creation as 
related to Darwinism ; Spencer's reconciliation of 

religion and science ; the doctrine of design ; law and 

miracle. 

By Rev, John w. Chadwick. 

The Philosophy of Evolution, 343 

Relation of the doctrine to prevailing philosophical 
m stems ; metaphysics and the scientific method ; 
materialism and the evolution philosophy; realism 

and idealism ; beneficent results of the prevalence of 
materialism on human progree 

By Stakr II. Nichols. 

The Effects of Evolution on the Coming Civ- 
ilization, 369 

Plans for social regeneration as tested by evolution ; 
Communism, Nationalism, and Socialism ; probable 
influence of the evolution philosophy in the settle- 
ment of social and economic problems. 

By Rev. Minot J. Savage. 

Index, 393 



Solar and Planetary Evolution, 



69 



the uni Are there an infinite number of 

world.-, extending beyond our utmost vision? We cannot 
know. All the objects within the reach of the most power- 
ful telescopes belong to our universe. It is possible that 
r universes exisl beyond, which we are unable to per- 
ceive because of the absence of a luminiferous ether, con- 
necting them with our range of vision. It is an interest- 
ing question whether our universe is still young 'and grow- 
ing, or whether it is now on its downward course, tending 
to decay and death. Respecting this question it may be 
said that we find within the range of vision very few dead 




Fig-. 13. Spiral nebula in Canes Venatici. 



stars, while the number of nebulae in process of forming 
into stars is very great. We may therefore assume that 
the universe is still in a youthful condition and has not 
sed the noon of its existence. The spectroscope assures 
us that those stars which shine with a red light are the old- 
est, and the nearest extinction. Of these there are com- 
paratively few. 

We have brought the history of a planet from the period 
of its prima] evolution out of the fiery mist, to its extinc- 
tion. Is this all? Will there be no resurrection of dead 
worlds? When a planet like the moon has parted with its 
ill still continue to rotate on its axis and to re- 



Index. 399 

ii selection, Darwin's hypothesis of, 31-41; Its place in evolution, 148,289; 
h«>w it operates, 290; in mimicry, •"•<•- 
ski it <>n. James A.. on Herbert Spencer, L9-21; on vegetal evolution, 136; on evo- 
lution of Bociel 
i] Statics, when published, 5; Sir. Spencer's dissatisfaction with It, 5,10, 

; principle >ci forth m it. . 

iry evolution, 203 

inisin, -17. 278, and note. 
tion of Birmingham, Eng., Nat. iii>t. Society, letter from, re- 
Ized, .';'.'i . 

l»rinciples Principles of Sociolog; 

uid planet.. r> evolution, 55-75. 
a i volution of, 
Spencer Herbert, his life and w< Letter from, 19; the mosl notabl 

< \ olution before I tarwin, 32 ; his early essay on development, 33 ; 
ception of Darwin's Origin <>t Species, 40 ; his sociological tables, 139 ; 
mtribution to the theory oi evolution, 142 ; relation of nisphilosophy 
the doctrine <>i' the correlation of force-, 180; his psychology, [81, 186, 1*7. 
doctrine of the Unknowable, 181,24 131-334, 

: bis criticism of Romanes, 185; his ethics, 195,259-261,266, 
: hi- sociology 203, 204, lm7-l\ i,230; on the temporary 

nature of government, 230; <>n ancestor-worship, l':;.~>. 237-239; on myth- 
making, 240; liis definition of life, 266 note] on design, 312 ; his religious 
Views criticised, 329-334: his philosophy his doctrine of the 

tnterdependency of mind and matter, 

Spiritualism and materialism compared, 354 - 365. 
Spontaneous generation, 125-126, Hit, 199,309-310,315. 

381. 
r*rof. \\ . Le Conte, <>n geological evolution, 104-107. 
Stratified rock-, formation of, 84. 
Study <'t Sociology, 194, 203, 229. 

gtn <>i altruistic feeling, 194-195, 267. 

Taylor, John A., on the evolution of society,!"-".); on the effects of evolu- 
tion on civilisation, 

Tennyson, Alfred, his glorification of Avar, 360. 

tonic mythologies, in theological evolution, 242. 

Theism, as related to evolution, 16-17, l'l', 46, 103, 107, 133-134, if., 154, 156-157, 

Theology, Evolution i 

population, 5, 20, 21, lis. 172-173. 208-212, 260-261, 2t;:j-Ui;4. 
Thompson. Daniel Gi d Herbert Spencer, 3-18. 

Thomson, sir William, his theory <>f the meteoric origin of life, 169. 

70-371, :;::i. ! 
scendentalism, a- related toevoluti< i 

irlv advocate of evolution. 32. 
John, his intimacy with Herbert Spencer, 8 : on matter and life, 

of, 16-17, 22; the doctrine criticised, • 
I; the priip Sited by William Potts, 133; i>y Dr. 

tinpson, 24 related to religion and 

philosophy the philosophii 

111": 

Uniformity, the doctrine of. 95, 344-i 

I . H.. hi- adVOCaCV <»f evolution in Holland. 51. 

I >r. r. ii.. on Darwin, BO-51 ; on the nebular hypothesis, 73 ; en 
: on physics and metaphysics, i 

In ani- 
m of, 164-14 

ilile mould, 

. olution of, ill-: 

: Darwinism, 173. 

i ; on missing links, 305. 



Monthly, $2.00 per year. Single Number, 20 cents. 

Social Science and a Rational Religion. 

THE HEW IDEAD. 

Some Important Articles that have appeared 
During 1889. 

M..T. RAVAGE, Religions Instruction and the Public Schools ; "The People" 
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GEO. H. HADLEY, Science the Best Teacher of Liberalism ; What does Lib- 
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1>K. LEWIS G. JANES, The Ideal Liberal Church; The Evolution of the Earth ; 
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DR. C. T. STOCKWELL, What Shall Liberals do with their Children? The 
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A. N. ADAMS, Agnosticism and Religion; A Study of Religion and Science; 
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REV. PERRY MARSHALL, "Pure Religion" ; The Evolution of Religion; 
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CHAS. K. WHIPPLE, Testimony the Basis of History; Intellectual Dishonesty; 
"The Bible Says." 

c \n. k. c. ADAMS. Something Better. 

GEORGE W. Pi < KLEY, Politics and Morals. 

ELIZABETH B. CHACE, Woman and Current Reforms. 

P. \v. BALL, Romanism and American Liberty ; The Future American Citizen. 

MRS. I'.. F. UNDERWOOD, The Philosophic Spirit vs. Egotism. 

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LLISSA M.MOORE, A Vision Past and Future; Women and Science; Light 
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Scientific Theism. 

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12mo, cloth. 242 pages. $2.00. 

" Dr. Al>l)Ot has come forward with a discussion of the problem 
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u Dr. Abbot's theory is therefore a new departure of Command- 
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" Dr. F. E. Abbot's new book, the 'Science of Theism,' confirms 
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Such a hook should make an epoch in the intellectual history 
■ar i -onnti \. The book is a very great performance. 11 — Boston 

i 

14 Be may find, as Darwin did when he brought out the 'Origin 

as preliminary to a great work, that he has done 

enough already to found a school of investigation and to establish 

himself as master of a new departure, profoundly original and 
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"One of the few carefully prepared and noteworthy hooks of 
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Dr. Ahhut has the one quality which should command the at- 

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i> : and he has as much faith in religion, which has now no 

;d friends; and his two taith- are thoroughly 

tific Theism 1 ls one of the great hooks of our 

generation." Rev. \. P. Oilman, In Boston Christian Register* 

14 The book . . . must take an honorable place in the literature 
ibject: and from its falling In, in so many particulars, 
with the peculiar tone of the age, will be very likely to \> 

as those merits unquestionably 
</ World. 

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dAJVIES 8. WEST, Publisher*, Boston. 



riic mode of presentation seems i admirably ' d for 

irizing Evolution viev< 



EVOLUTION ESSAYS, — FIRST SERIES. 

I | I ! 

ie mode of pre 
popul 

NOW READY. ^ 

1. 1 1 « encer: His life, writings, and philosophy. 

Daniel Clreenleaf Thompsi 

2. Charles Robert Darwin: Hid life, works, and influence. 

KV\ . John W. Chadwick. 

irand Planetary Evolution : ll«>\\ Buns and worlds come into bein 

Garretl P 
i. Evolution of the Earth : The story. of geology. i>r. Lewis G. Janes. 

Evolution of Vegetal Life: William r<»tt>. 

Evolution of Animal Life: Rossiter w. Raymond, Ph.D. 

: i <•!' M.m: His origin, antiquity, growth. E. D. Cope, Ph-D. 

Evolution of Mind: [ts nature and development. Dr. Robert G. Eccles. 
ciety : Families, tribes, states, classes. James A. JSkilton. 

10, Evolution of Theology: Development <>i religious belief s. 

Z. Sidney Sampson. 

11. Evolution of Morals: Egoism, altruism, utilitarianism, etc. 

Dr. Lewis <;. Janes. 
i roofs of Evolution : The eight main scientific arguments. 

Nelson C. Parshall. 
solution ;i> Related t»> Religious Thought. Rev. John \v. Chadwick. 

14. The Philosophy <>f Evolution : Its relation t<» prevailing systems. 

i/i- 11. Nichols. 

j of Evolution <»n the Coming Civilization. Rev. Minoi .1. Sa- 
lt is hoped that the publication of these lectures may aid soci- 
- and individuals thrOughoul the country, in organizing and 
Lucting classes in the study of Evolution, and thereby prepare 
many minds for an intelligent and systematic perusal of the more 
voluminous and scientific works of Darwin, spencer, and other 
dard authority s. 

►rthe Fifteen Lectures above enumerated will be received for 
in> lecture may be had for 10 rent- each. 



EVOLUTION ESSAYS. — SPECIAL ISSUES. 

From time to time during the publication of the essays listed in 
ecial Numbers will be issued, treating topics 
A mong i hese may be menl ioned 

The Moral and Religious Aspects of Herbert Spencer's Phi- 
losophy. B Pamphlet, 10 cents. 

tlution philosopl 

A Study of Matter and Motion. Bj Hon. A. N. ADAMS. 
And oth< e announced. 

s James ll. Wksi . Publish* 

Summer Street, BOSTON, 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS £ 



IMES H. WEST, Publisher, 



027 279 570 8 



EVOLUTION ESSAYS, — SECOND SERIES. 

and compr< hen si v resei r ions in 
< , »i evolution, i c< . suc- 

■ 

of popular science. Thev include, bo far, 
World. 



PUBLISHER'S INNOUNCEMENT. 

The 3 » of The Modern Science Essayist being com- 

i d with the fifteenth issue, it is proposed to continue the Mag- 
e through a Second Series by printing the Brooklyn Ethical 
g current course of Essays and Lectures on 



SOCIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION. 



: the Topics in this Course are as follows : 

and Principles of the Evolution Philosophy, Dr. Lewis G. Janes 
The Relativity of Knowled 
Primitive Man. 

th of the Marriage Relation, 

ution of the state. 
Evolution • • • . enue System, 

ution of La a. 
Evolution of the Wages System, 

ution of Medical and Sanitary Science, 

ution of the -Mechanic Arts, 



Evolution of Arms and Armor. 

Factor in Civilization. 
ston You man s, 

Kvolution and Social Reform : 

i. The Theological Method. 
The Socialistic Method. 
The Anarchistic Method, 
The Scientific Method. 



Dr. Robert G. Eccles. 

Z. Sidney Sampson. 

C. Staniland Wake. 

John A. Taylor. 

Benjamin Reece. 

Prof. Rufus Sheldon. 

Prof. George Gunton. 

Dr. Robert (J. Eccles. 

James A. Skilton. 

Rev. John C. Kimball. 

Miss Caroline B. Le Row. 

Prof. John Fiske. 

Mrs. Mary Treat. 

Rev. John W. Chadwick. 
William Po 
Hugh o. Pentec >s1 
Daniel (Ireenleaf Thompson. 



The above will l>e interspersed and followed by other Essays and 
of kindred nature. They will be published Fortnightly. 

Subscriptions lor these Lectures in pamplilel form (The Modern 
• will be received as heretofore: 10 cents singly, 
cutive numbers for $1.00 : 20 consecutive numbers, $2.00, 
[>aid. Invariably in advance. 

/ to reprint these essays in hook-form. Those, 
■ Ire them should order them as above. 

Address James If. West, Publisher, 

106 Summer Street, BOSTON. 



